Nitrous Oxide

Current research programme

The current focus of the NZAGRC’s nitrous oxide (N2O) research programme is on measuring the effects pasture plants and pasture plant communities have on nitrous oxide emissions.

This work is closely aligned to the MBIE P21 and Forages for Nitrate Leaching programmes (FRNL). In addition, an investigative project on a technology to locate and treat urine patches was completed in 2015/16.

Principal investigators

Research Stories

Introducing Dr Jha

The NZAGRC would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Dr Neha Jha on recently completing her PhD and thank her for her contribution to date to the NZAGRC's nitrous oxide research programme.

Neha's PhD study involved steep learning curves on a number of different levels. Originally from Bihar in India, before her arrival in NZ she had never seen such big pastures, let alone cows and sheep grazing outside all day and night. Neha has a Master's degree in soil science and microbiology and these studies focused on Indian agriculture, which is much more diverse than the NZ pastoral system. "Dairying is also big in India", states Neha," but it is very different and the key issues that farmers face are not the same".

After completing her Master's degree, Neha was interested in developing her soil and microbiology skills further and sent through a proposal relating to nitrous oxide emissions from soil to Professor Surinder Saggar (LCR/Massey) and Dr Donna Giltrap (LCR). This proposal resulted in the offer of a PhD position at Massey University and involvement in the NZAGRC-funded denitrification research programme.

Neha's PhD focussed on understanding denitrification processes in different types of soils. During her PhD study, Neha spent a significant amount of time out in those rolling NZ pastures collecting soil samples of differing types from different geographical locations, then investigating their chemical and physical properties and the microbial communities present back in the lab. Key findings were that different soils have differing denitrification potentials, primarily due to the microbes present and soil management history. The end goal of this research is to recognise the soil and environmental factors that have potential to enhance the activity of denitrifiers in reducing nitrous oxide to nitrogen gas. This is vital for the development of novel and effective nitrous oxide mitigation technologies.

Dr Jha is currently completing a one-year postdoctoral position at Landcare Research, still working alongside Surinder Saggar. Her interests in soil, microbiology and greenhouse gases remain high and she is keen to continue publishing and working towards becoming a renowned and respected scientist. Her PhD has led to a number of presentations and she currently has two journal articles submitted for publication. Neha has enjoyed her time in NZ so far and, now that she feels she has conquered the kiwi accent and understands the culture, she is keen to remain here for the foreseeable future.